Intense pulsed light or IPL, as it is commonly known, is a light-based form of skin treatment technology. While IPL works in a similar fashion to laser treatments, there are some key differences. The most important being the difference between coherent and incoherent light. In a laser, the light emitted is known as coherent light. This means that all the light energy emitted is of exactly the same frequency, concentrated in a single beam. When lasers are used for skin treatments, the frequency is very specific to the treatment desired. For example, if treating age spots, one frequency is used, while another is used for the treatment of wrinkles. In IPL devices, the light energy varies in frequency, or wavelength. This means that the light is not as concentrated or powerful, but it also means that several types of indications can be addressed with one treatment, since the multiple frequencies of light being emitted can target different types of skin problems at one time.
IPL uses very short bursts of high-intensity light to penetrate just below the surface of the skin (this makes it non-ablative, as opposed to ablative treatments that focus on removing the very top layers of the skin). As these pulses of light penetrate the skin, they break up melanin (which age spots and discolorations are made of) and also reduce the appearance of tiny broken blood vessels or capillaries. IPL can also be helpful in stimulating the body to rebuild collagen and elastin that make up the underlying structures of the skin. In understanding the difference between lasers and IPL, it’s helpful to think of lasers as being high-powered, highly targeted devices, while IPL is a less powerful, broader approach.
There are of course pros and cons to both treatment types, most notably, while laser treatments are typically able to deliver more dramatic results, they can only target one skin condition issue at a time. IPL on the other hand addresses multiple issues at once, but not as aggressively. Patient cost and downtime are also factors here – IPL typically has less downtime associated with it and will usually be less expensive per session than laser treatments.
If you are considering some type of light-based anti-aging procedure, but are apprehensive about the cost, potential discomfort and downtime with a laser treatment, it might be an option for you to try an IPL treatment first.